Toy railway-crossing gate



m. M, 1924.' www@ A. R. FERGUSSON TOY RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed F'eb. 20 1 923 Patented @et lll'f, 11924.

ALAN R. FERGUSSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TOY RAILWAY-CROSSING GATE.

Application led February 20, 1923. Serial No. 620,173.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALAN R. FERGUSSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Eriel and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful limprovements in ToyRailway-Crossing Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to minature crossing gates for toy railways, an object of the invention being to provide an improved crossing gate which may be constructed at a minimum of expense, and at the same time willbe strong and durable. in use, and adapted to be easily manipulated by the child, thereby commending itself to the public as an article, which may be used in connection with toy or miniature railways, of cheap, attractive and relatively indestructible character. Y

A further object of this invention is to provide a crossing gate for toy or miniature 1ailways having wire formed supporting means adapted to be easily and cheaply manufactured, and providing an eiiicient means for supporting the crossing gate in various adjusted positions.

@ther objects of this invention will appear in the following description thereof and in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views and wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a form of my invention in position; Fig. 2 is a rear end sectional elevation; Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryside view partly in section showing the crossing gate in elevated position; Fig. 4; is a fragmentary front View illustrating the crossing gate in elevated position and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the swinging miniature lantern,

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, l desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In. the preferred. form of my invention herein shown and described, it will be seen that the crossing gate comprises a relatively stationary support or stand formed from a single length of wire which is bent to provide a coiled base 9. The circular coiled wire of the base is bent inwardly at 10 to substantially the center of the coil and is then bent upwardly to form an upright or vertical post 11. The upper portion of the post 11has the opposite sides thereof flattened at 12 thereby giving to the upper end of the post a tapered or wedge shaped configuration. Ther gate member for the device preferably comprises a piece of sheet metal 13 which is bent along the middle thereof into substantially U-shaped form, thereby resulting in the provision of a channel shaped member having laterally spaced sides 13a and 13b.

The upper tapered end 12 of the wire post 11 is inserted into the rear end of the gate member 13 and is pivot-ed thereto by means of' a suitable pin or rivet 14 extending through the upper end of the post 11 and also through the opposite sides 13a and 13b of the gate member. By virtue of the pivotal connection 14C the member 13 may be swung to various positions and in order to support the forward end 15 of the gate in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1 the same is provided with an adjustable swinging support 16. This support preferably comprises a wire of the proper length and having the upper end 17 thereof bent at right angles. The wire post or support 16 may be assembled and held in position` by inserting the bent end into the channel of the gate member, so that the bent part 17 will project through an opening 18 in one side of the gate. Thereupon the sides of the member' 13 may be pinched together son'iewhat by the operator so as to clinch the right angled portion 1T within the side walls of the channel, as shown in Fig. fi, thereby preventing the same from inadvertent displacement. The support 16 is thus swingingly connected to the gate member and when the latter is swung to its vertical position the wire 16 will be lodged or housed entirely within the channel so as Vto be out of sight.

. The crossing gate may also be provided with a miniature orV imitation swinging lantern 19. In the present instance this is '7 n l, cheaply formedjfor pivoting the'gate meinto resemble a.--l antern, andcoinprising curved ybody portion 19 having a. immature supporting handle 20. The part 2O is provided with a reduced or neck portion 21 terminating in a rounded head 225 The head'22 is bent over at right angles at the yneck thereof, as shown in Fig. 5, and the lantern'is hung from the gate 18by inserting the part 2O into the channell thereof so that'the bent portion 22 vwill project through member. The hea-d 22 al hole 23pm one sidey of the channel j frate may theny be pinchlied "'downwai-dly kon the outer side .of the gate,

and it will be seen that this construction permitstheminiature lantern to swing into v,the channel Vof the vgateV out` of: sight'lwhen the .gate fislf elevated to `vertical position.

Upon loweringfthe gate to a horizontal po'- sitioir asshown-.in Fig. 1, the :lantern-19 will swing down into fullview, andA at the same time the wire support/16 will lswing down into `supporting position. -The for- V` ward end of' the gate is" preferably tapered inthe direction ofv its' length'so as .to resemble actual` crossing gates in use at railroad crossings.

It willbe further noted'that the flattened ktapered en'd12` of the wire upright 11 not only provides an eiiicient and facile means for permitting the gate 13- to `be directly pivoted to the wire post, but alsoprovides `locking'means forholding the gate 13 in various elevated positions between the horiz-ontal' and-vertical. Since the side portions Y13g and 13h of the gate are nor-V mally spacedv apart a distancesubstantially the? same asthe thickness of the post 11- a'tfits 'narro'west end, when the. gate 13 Y is elevated the lower edges of the side portions 13t and 13JV will swing downwardly overthe tapered y or wedge `partf12. The

resiliencyof the ends 24 of the gate will permit the side portions thereof to spread suiiticientljy to accommodate the wedge or Y l tapered portion 12, and the resilient frictional engagement of the parts willVv serve to lock .the gate 13 infanypositionto which it may be elevated.

n, From the foregoing it will be noted particularly that the coiled wire Yformed supof operation and manufacture. y .Y more, the wire formed upright 11 furnishes Y" j 'Thusit will be seen'that -therelatively port; notfonly furnishes a rigid and strong structure, but also maybe bent up in singleno perationftherebyl cheapening the cost Furtheraireffective` means, by virtue of the flattened tapered end l2'which is readily and ber theretoand' also for locking the same in any vadjusted position. y

stationary coiled'wiresupport'embodies at least four importa-nt advantages, namely,

cheapening the cost of manufacture, increased rigidity and stability, ready adaptability foi' pivotally supporting the swinging gate, and self-locking means for hold.- ing the swinging gate in any position from the horizont-al tothe vertical.

The downwardly swinging movement of the supporting wire 16 is limited at its vertical position by ineans of a stop 25 which is formed by punching or projecting inwardly a port-ion of the metal of the gate member 13 so that when the gate is lowered to horizontal vposition the wire 1G will swing downwardly and engage the stop 25 upon reaching a vertical supporting position.v l

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form., structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art;

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the saine, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

'1. Aotoy railway crossingV gate comprising a coiled wire base, a wire upright post, and a` channel-shaped elongated, gate member overlapping the top of said post and pivotally connected 'thereto Vfor swinging movenient. l A f 2. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a support formed from a single length of Wire and including a coiled wire base, and a channel-shaped gate member overlapping the top of said support and pivotally connected thereto for swinging movement.

V3. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a baseand an upright post, and an elongated gate member `pivotally connected lto said postl and having both its forward and rear ends projecting beyond said post to permit the rear end to engage the post on the raising of the gate and hold it in its elevated position.

4. A toy railway crossing gate coinprisin formation toward its upper end, and an. elongated gate member pivotally connected to said post and having` both its forward and rear ends projecting beyond Said post to permit the rear end to frictionally engage the tapered post on the raising of the gate thereby to hold it in its elevated position.

5. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a base and an upright post having a tapered formation toward the upper end of the post, anda channel-shaped crossing l gate overlapping the upper' .end of the post and pivotally connected thereto between its; ends with the forward and rear ends of the gate projecting beyond said post to permit vthe channeled rear end thereof to frictionally engage the tapered post and hold the gate in its elevated position.

6. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a wire formed base having an upright wire formed post, said post having a fiattened portion tapered toward its upper end, anda channel-shaped elongated gate member pivotally connected to the post to overlap the upper end thereof and having its forard and rear ends projecting beyond the post, the channeled rear end overlapping and frictionally engaging the tapered post on the raising oit' the gate thereby to hold it in its elevated position.

7. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a wire formed support including a coiled wire base and an upright wire post, said post having a tapered portion, and a channel member swingingly connected thereto and adapted to engage said tapered portion for maintaining said member in adjusted position. l

8. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a relatively stationary wire formed stand, an elongated gate swingingly connected adjacent to one end thereof, and a swinging wire support for the opposite end of said gate.

9. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a relatively stationary wire formed stand, an elongated gate swingingly connected adjacent to end thereof, a swinging wire support for the opposite end of said gate, and a miniature lantern swingingly connected tol said gate.

10. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a U-shaped gate member, an upright post extending thereinto and;| connected thereto, and a swinging support connected to the free end of said U-shaped member.

11. In a toy railway crossing gate the combination ot an elongated gate member, a stationary wire support pivoted thereto at one end, and a swinging wire support pivoted thereto at the opposite end.

12. In a toy railway crossing gate the combination of an elongated gate member, a stationary wire support pivoted thereto at one end, and a swinging wire support pivoted thereto at the oppositeend, said member having spaced side portions and said swinging wire support being housed therebetween upon elevating the gate member.

13. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a sheet metal gate member, relatively' stationary support pivoted at one end thereof, a swinging support pivoted at the opposite end, a miniature lantern pivoted thereto, and self-locking means for maintaining said gate in adjusted position.

14. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a sheet metal gate member, a relatively stationary support pivoted at one end thereof, and means for maintaining said gate in adjusted position, said gate having pivoted thereto a swinging support and a miniature lantern, one or both adapted to be housed within a part ot said gate member upon elevating the same.

V15. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a support vhaving a wire upright post provided with a flattened tapered portion, and a swinging gate member pivoted to? said flattened portion and having its rear end projecting beyond thc post and in position to lap and frictionally engage the tapered iiattened post and hold said gate member in its elevated position.

16. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a support having an upright wire post, and an elongated swinging gate member pivotally connected to said post and having its rear end projecting beyond the post and in position to overlap and rictionally 'i engage the post thereby to hold the gate in. its elevated position.`

17. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a support having an upright wire post, and an elongated crossing gate pivotally connected to said post and having its rear end projecting beyond the post and in position to lap the post on the elevation of the gate member, said rear end and post constructed to hold the gate in its elevated position.

18. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a support having an upright wire post, and an elongated crossing gate pivotally connected to said post and having its rear end projecting beyond the post and in position to lap the post on the elevation of the gate member, said rear end and post constructed to hold the gate in its elevated position, and a swinging support for the opposite end of said gate.

19. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a support having an upright wire post, and an elongated crossing gate pivotally connected to said post and having its rear end projecting beyond the post and in position to lap the post on the elevation of the gate member, said rear end and post constructed to hold the gate in its elevated position, a swinging support for the opposite end of said gate, and a immature signal. member connected to said gate.V

20. In a toy railway crossing gate the combination of a supporting base having an upright wire post, a crossing gate pivotally connected at one end to said post tor swinging movement, and, means connected to said gate for supporting the opposite end thereof when the gate is swung into substantially horizontal position.

y 21. A toy railway crossing gate comprising a supporting base and an upright wire post, a channel-shaped elongated gate member overlapping the upper end of said post and pivotally connected thereto with the l Si) elevaiif'on fof kxthe :gate member, said reiu end and post Constructed to lold Uhe gate in ts' elevated. position,y and mesme pf'otally connfeoed "ifo #he gate for supporting the fol'- Wwld end thereof when fts `rl'owvelreol posi- A Y Y l y 1,511,159@

tion .wird aaipted to be'housed Within the clmrflelshaped gaie 'on 'the elevation thereof.

Signed aft -c'ty fof Buffaflo, County "of Eife, Starke of New York bhs 156th lday 'of jFebrufq 

